Through Her Eyes
by Sireen Silverspinner
Summary: [Malon x Link] In which Malon looks and sees a suffering hero. A slightly less happy look on Link, through Malon's point of view. [on hold, see profile]
1. Her

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend Of Zelda, awesome game that it is. Mrrr.**

* * *

_The sun had come up sometime ago, so the ranch was already full of life. The cuckoos followed me around with enthusiasm, greedily expecting some treat. I smiled heartily, and fed them, but they continued to bother me as I made my way to the horses._

"_You're so restless today," I sighed to them. They squawked unapologetically. Noisy as they were, I was quiet as I released the horses._

"_You miss _them_, eh?" a gruff voice came sleepily from the barn door. Groggy as he was, there was a curious kind of emphasis on the word "them". It flustered me._

"_Dad, I always do," I said. "But he—_they_ haven't come by in awhile, you know."_

"_I heard they're pretty busy over there in the castle," he said gently. I loved him for not taunting me about my obvious sentiments._

_I bit my tongue, nodded, and then made my way to the cows._

_The truth was, Link had really been acting weird lately. Normally he'd swing by at least once every two weeks or something, regardless of the work_ that woman_ put him through. Then again, I knew why._

_I suppose I had better start from the beginning, so I will never forget it._

I first met him somewhere near the castle, outside the nice marketplace of Hyrule. We were both kids then, probably twelve years old. Dad had gone up to the castle, but was late. As usual.

He seemed so troubled, the poor boy. It was like he was upset, determined, and sad at the same time. I cocked my head to the side and thought he was cute though. The fairy hovering around him caught my attention, too.

I smiled at him. He didn't make fun of me for singing my mother's song, either, the way the village boys did. I think (_or I_ wanted_ to think_) that he even liked the song.

Whatever he thought, I thought him a funny but strange boy. One way or another, I gave him a nice pocket-cuckoo. All he gave me was a strange look,but he was polite.

He made his way into the castle, to do goodness-to-who-knows-what,and a few hours or so after he went in, Dad came out.

I scolded and cajoled, but Dad didn't fail to tell me _who_ woke him up and reminded him of his daughter, waiting for her father.

The next time I saw him was at the ranch. I never really found out what happened after he got a bottle from my dad, but heseemed sort of embarrassed whenever he looked at me.

He still refuses to tell me why, though. I hope Dad didn't offer my hand in marriage or something.

I didn't see him again for a while. But one day, probably a year or so later, he visited.

"I don't know if you remember me…" he began. I laughed.

"Of course I remember you!" I said. "Fairy boy."

He winced. I then noticed that he had no fairy with him. I immediately assumed he would rather not talk about it.

"You're also the only one who knows Epona's song, aside from me," I added.

"What about Talon?" he wanted to know.

"Dad… knows it… sort of," I laughed again. "I sing it to him, but he always falls asleep before I finish."

"Why…" he looked at me, frowning. I wanted to giggle. He's always so serious. "Why'd you teach it to me, then?"

"You?" I cocked my head to the side thoughtfully. "I don't know, actually."

_This seemed to bother Link._

"So what can I do for you?" I asked, smiling. In truth, I was trying not to laugh. Here he was, a thirteen-year-old boy, and he was still wielding the funny sword and shield.

"I'd like to ride Epona again," he said solemnly.

This time I really did burst out laughing. I don't think he appreciated that.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I said, still giggling. "Are you trying to impress your girlfriend or something?"

"…What?"

"Well, you have a sword, a shield, and now you ask for a horse. Do you want to impress somebody with the whole knight thing?"

He shook his head vigorously, too embarrassed to say anything. I hid another smile. It's fun to tease this one….

"I was also laughing," I went on. "Because you sounded so serious when you said you wanted to ride Epona, 'again'. But you've _never_ ridden Epona. I'm the only one who's ever ridden Epona."

Link froze, and then his face cleared. He had that "_Oh, yeah_…" look on his face. I tried not to burst out laughing again. It was as if he really believed that he _had_ ridden Epona before.

"I can't ride Epona?" he asked. "I wanted to borrow her."

I grew quiet. "…You're so strange, Link."

"Wh-what?" he looked taken aback.

"Well, you don't come by for about a year, and then you pop up, convinced that you've ridden my horse before. And now you want to borrow her, when I haven't let anyone else near her, because she is my horse."

I began walking briskly toward the horses. He stumbled after me.

"M-Malon… wait…"

I turned around abruptly, and he nearly crashed into me.

"Play it for me," I ordered.

"Huh?"

"Epona's song. Do you still have your ocarina? Play it for me… please?"

He looked at me, with a funny look on his face. But he took out his ocarina, and he played the song my mother composed. Epona came trotting, first to him and then to me.

"She's decided," I announced, when Link finished playing. "You can borrow her."

"…Thank you."

"But!" I faced him again, with a firm expression on my face. "You take care of her, you understand?"

"Y-yes."

"I don't want anything to happen to her!"

"Yes."

"Play the song for her while she's resting!"

"Yes."

"And…" I tried not to cry. "Bring her back…"

He must have seen a touch of a tear on my face.

"Malon… I don't have to take her if you don't want me to."

I shook my head. "She likes you, and I know you'll take good care of her," I said sincerely. "And… you know, you look really good with her? It's like you were made for each other." I smiled.

He mounted her with some ease. "…I may not be back for awhile."

" 'Bye, Epona. Take care, Link."

I kissed Epona, and they were off. Before they had gone too far, however, Link turned around to face me.

"It's not to impress a girl," he called.

"Huh?"

"I'm looking," he said. "For my fairy. That's why I need Epona."

I smiled at him warmly. "I hope you find her."

And he was gone, again, for almost another year. Hyrule prospered, but I missed Epona terribly. With all honesty, I sometimes regretted letting him borrow her.

I surprised myself, actually. Epona was probably my best friend. _Why had it been so easy for him to borrow her?_ Did the song cast a spell on me, too?

But I waited patiently. I may have regretted lending him my horse, but it was not because I thought she was being mistreated. Link would never hurt her. I could tell.

It's hard to explain, but he played the song with such gentleness. He mounted her with such ease. Epona didn't complain at his touch.

Dad was surprised, but he kept silent. If anything, he assumed it meant I found a friend in Link. Truthfully, I can't count the times he gave me a talk on how it would not be right for me to have a _horse_ as my sole companion. He wanted me to have friends my age, my species.

Link came back with Epona, safe and sound before I turned fourteen. I don't know if he found his fairy, or what happened to him. I didn't talk about it, though. Instead, I thanked him for taking good care of her.

"No problem," he said, looking tired. Dad and I let him spend the night. The next morning, he said he should really go back to the castle. He said that he troubled us enough.

"So we weren't your first stop back, then?" I teased. He looked at me with a kind of cynical stare.

"I should go."

"Link."

I put my hands on my hips. He was so serious all the time, and it was kind of silly.

"Come back."

He stared at me, somewhat surprised at the commanding tone of voice I used. I looked down, and used a softer voice.

"Epona likes you well enough. Don't disappear for a long time again… it's kind of insulting, Fairy Boy… You only come when you need something."

He winced at the old pet name, but he agreed to come back soon for a visit.

So he visited quite regularly, actually. Though he rarely talked about himself, I think I told him everything. It was a bit like talking to Epona.

Dad was glad I found a friend in him. He often wondered why I ignored all the other boys from town.

That's where I refused to please him. Dad was a good man, but he had no logic and common sense.

I never admitted it aloud, but I received attention from many people my age. Boys, in fact. Would-be suitors.

All of them, however, were firmly rejected. If they were smitten by my plain countenance, I assumed it was because whomever I married inherited a good business. Dad was too lazy to do anything to prevent them from wooing me, but he was just as lazy when they turned to him for approval. So I had nothing to worry about.

Also, I made it very clear quite early on that I would be choosing my own husband, thank you very much.

First of all, a lot of those "potential husbands" were the same boys who taunted me as children. Next, they couldn't understand why I loved Epona so much, or why I kept lingering on my mother's memory.

Link was different.

By the time I turned fifteen, I was in love with him.

"Do you know," I began. "You're very popular with the girls? They continue to ask me about you."

"I'm not interested," he said shortly. I forced a laugh.

"How about as a child? Didn't you have a childhood crush?"

Link turned red. As I said, I loved to do that to him.

He muttered something inaudible.

"What?" I cupped my hand to my ear, smiling.

"Yes."

"Oooh, who?"

"None of your business…!" He tapped Epona with his foot and galloped away. I mounted another horse and followed him, refusing to give him peace until he told me.

"Saria," he muttered. I blinked.

"Isn't she your friend from the Forest?"

"…Yes."

"I'd like to meet her sometime," I said cheerfully. He peered at me, with another one of his funny expressions.

"Why?"

"Oh, you know…" I said, jumping down from my horse. "I'd like to meet someone who knew you way before I did. You never actually told me what you were like as a kid."

"Why would I tell you…?"

"Anyone else?"

"What…?"

"Any other girl you came close to falling in love with?" It was a joke, actually, but his face darkened.

"Yes."

The way he said it made me hesitate. He said it sort of darkly.

"…Would you tell me who?"

"No." He got off Epona, stroking her. "Why are you asking, anyway?"

"I don't know," I said, patting the horse as she grazed. "But considering I met you as a kid and all… I'm also debating on whether it was better off to get to know you later on, or if I should have pestered you into being my friend earlier."

"…You're strange, Malon."

"Of course not," I said indignantly. Oh, how I _loved_ him. "I'm a very sweet girl."

"Well…" he looked at me straight in the eye. "That's true."

I blushed, smiled, and it took me so long to think about it without getting all giggly.

At seventeen years old, I kind of figured it wouldn't work out though.

Link was, in a sense, my best friend. Though somewhat overly serious, he still returned to the ranch. He still came back to see Epona, and me. His mysterious aura attracted me to him even more for the first few years. The truth is, he fitted the whole "handsome stranger" thing.

But, of course, I had to get over him, for several reasons.

One reason was he, himself. Although he came back, and I knew him well enough to call him a friend, he didn't trust me with deep secrets. In fact, I was pretty sure he kept things from me. This happened especially when I mentioned anything regarding fairies, or time, or the Princess.

Another reason was the Princess.

I don't know how, but between the day he went off to the castle (and found my dad sleeping on the job) and the present, it seems Link was now a common face at the castle.

Princess Zelda called him the Hero of Time. She had a small ceremony to award him, but nobody really understood what he did. Something to do with the collection of the three sacred gems that I glimpsed at the Temple. Princess Zelda often said that those three gems were a symbol of ultimate unity between all of Hyrule.

But I saw how she looked at him, and how he looked at her. There was something there, and my best guess was that she was the one he trusted with his secrets.

That was when I had just turned seventeen. I went home from the ceremony, feeling very down. I realized just how little I meant to him in comparison to the Princess.

It took a while, but I managed to force myself not to look at him in that way. He seemed to notice it, though.

"You've been quiet lately," he said. He had been helping me with the cows.

"Oh, well," I said lamely. "Dad seems to be getting more and more concerned because I refuse to be courted."

"…What?"

"Uhm…" I set a pail of milk aside. "Well, he's always been lenient about me not liking to have to, _have to_ marry. But I think he wants to be sure the ranch'll be taken care of."

"Marry?" Link blinked. "You…?"

"Hey," I faced him in mock anger. "Is it that hard to imagine me in a bridal setting?"

"N-no…"

"I'm just kidding, Link," I said. "Don't be so serious."

This conversation sealed up my no-more-feelings-for-him thing, actually. He expressed no sign of jealousy whatsoever. No objection to talk of me belonging to somebody else.

_None at all_.

So that's the timeline. From ages fifteen onwards, I was infatuated. From seventeen onwards, I was maintaining a steady friendship.

_Something happened, though, the year I turned nineteen._

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**NOTES (which you don't have to read if you don't want to, but if you have questions I suggest you read first):**

I haven't played the game in a while, so I don't know if Malon is the same age as he is. I can't just change it later on, because I need the ages to be like this.

I tried my very best to let everything remain true to the actual timeline, but as I said, I don't remember much anymore.

Now, about Link having a crush on Saria. A lot of you will complain, or whine, or yell at me. But first of all, it's not hard to imagine. Let's say Link lives in the Kokiri Forest, he has no fairy, and the exalted Mido has somebody to pick on. Here comes Saria, and she quickly becomes close to him. The others gradually accept him, because they follow her example. But Saria will always be his lifelong friend.

If you are still intolerable about it, let's just say that it's fanFICTION, and leave it at that. _Mwah._

And now, the lovely Question:

"**Why _Malon_?"**

Through the game, Link has with him the faithful Epona. It's kind of hard for him _not _to think of Malon every now and then. Not exactly romantically, mind you, but as yet another person to fight for.

Over the years (or months, I don't remember), I've been going through fanfiction on the weband I haven't found a good Malon x Link yet. Some are OK, some are horrible, but none are good for me.

Yeah, I'm picky, but I don't know. They make it a little too easy, if you know what I mean.

I'm not saying that mine is good. In fact, mine could be a bit farfetched, but who's to say I can't have my fun?

Love ya. ;)

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**EDIT**: check second chapter...


	2. His Story

_I think I'll start with my nineteenth birthday._

My birthdays were never grand. It was always just Dad, Ingo, and some few people we knew from the Kakariko village. Usually, for them to even come, it meant they knew my mother.

I never forced Link to come to my birthdays, so he never came.

No, I should correct myself. He never came so long as everyone was there.

For example:

On my sixteenth birthday, he came at ten minutes before midnight. This was still at a time I was infatuated with him, so I can be forgiven if I say I had been waiting since moonrise.

"…Uhm," he didn't look at me directly. "Happy Birthday." He tossed me a small box.

"Thank you!" I smiled at him. Real joy was pouring out of my face at such a simple thing. Crushes are scary.

It was a pretty string, with some kind of sparkle to it. And with it came a bunch of beads, each a different color. Glass beads, I later found out.

"They're so pretty…" I breathed. I strung the beads, but then looked at him in confusion. "There aren't enough beads to fit it…"

"Yeah, well…." He looked at me quickly to explain. "I got you sixteen beads. Eleven of them are the same, since I didn't know you then. But the twelfth bead is blue, the thirteenth has a carving…" He coughed, trying not to babble.

"Ohhh," I laughed delightedly. "I get it!"

"…You like it?"

"Yes," I said firmly. (_Horrible as it sounds, I think I would have said yes even if he got me a bottled Poe_.) "In fact… give me a new bead every year!"

"Sure."

"And don't you go telling people that I'm being greedy!"

"Of course not."

I kissed him unexpectedly on the cheek. "Thank you!"

He turned several shades of red. I ran, laughing, back to the house.

_But back to my nineteenth birthday._

Link was true to his word, and he gave me a bead every year. Sometimes he looked a bit concerned because his gift consisted of a single bead, but I often told him how much I treasured them.

On my nineteenth birthday, I woke up with a smile. After I washed and got dressed, Dad greeted me with a kiss and a present.

I carefully tore open the wrapping. And inside was a beautiful, cream-colored dress.

Working around a ranch, I didn't have much use for fancy dresses. So I looked at Dad with a questioning look.

"It was yer mother's."

I looked at the dress. _How could I put on something that beautiful?_

"Thank you. Thank you!" I hugged Dad. "I'll try it on later, OK? We need to prepare for the guests."

"Yeah…" Dad scratched his head. "About that. There may be more people coming than last year."

I stopped. "Dad…"

"Yeh don't have to answer anything! I swear!"

"Dad!" I was exasperated. "_I _don't ask the unmarried ladies of Kakariko to come on _your _birthday!"

"This is different, and yeh know it."

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes. "But I'm not wearing the dress for them."

He looked like he was going to protest, but he nodded.

"Fair enough."

_Well, it turned out to be interesting, anyway._

"Happy Birthday," one of the boys said, winking. I winced and looked away. He was one of the several boys who dared to come to my birthday. His gift consisted of a bunch of flowers.

"Th-thank you," I said. _Be polite_. I accepted the flowers with a half-smile.

That particular one followed me around the whole day. His hints were not very subtle, mind you, and I was annoyed. However, the attention was, at the very least, semi-flattering.

At the end of the party, he was the last to leave. I mention him because he is the only one with the nerve to try and kiss me.

Though I admitted that it was a bit flattering, I was not completely lost. I shoved him back, as an impulse.

"Don't," I said softly, and I looked away.

He looked somewhat shocked. I guess no girl has refused his "_charm_" before.

"Thank you for the flowers," I said shortly, and I went back into the house. I refused to come out and bring the horses in until he left.

"I'm sorry, Malon," Dad said later that night.

"I know, Dad…"

"Yeh understand, don't yeh? I ain't going to be around forever. I need to be sure that ye're OK."

"_Dad_. Marrying me off to one of those pigs will not make me 'okay'."

"Ye're right… I'm sorry…"

I forgave him, because I knew how he felt, and because I loved him. He was my father.

After he had gone to bed, I went to my room. Link would be here soon.

Usually I met him at the entrance.

I thought for a while, and debated, but finally I did it.

I got out my mother's dress. I put it on.

I didn't have a full-length mirror, but I felt light. There were no sleeves, so my arms felt wonderfully bare. The skirt's hem stopped right above my ankles. And the whole thing was a beautiful, soft, cream color.

Hastily, I strung on the beads around my neck. Light-footed, light-hearted, I ran out the door.

And there he was, clad in his green tunic, and always equipped with a sword and shield. He was a knight, or something like it, and though I had closed my feelings years ago, my heart still sang to see him.

"Link!" I waved merrily, and I sprinted until I reached him. Oh, how easily I could move in the dress.

"Wha—?" He choked as I threw my arms around him and gave him a pretty tight hug.

"You won't believe the day I had!" I said conversationally.

"What…" He recovered. "What's with the outfit?"

"Huh? Oh!" I twirled around and let the skirt swirl. "It was my mother's. Dad gave it to me today. Isn't it pretty?" I fingered the fabric.

"Y-yeah. Oh, and… here…" He held out his hand. _Oh, yes, the bead…_

"Thank you!" I said. I added it to the necklace. Link half-smiled.

"You…look _nice_."

"I don't think I'd keep wearing it, though," I said then. "It's not like I could wear it around here. And I also don't want to lose the beads…"

I stopped. He seemed lost in thought.

"Link?"

"Hmm… ah? Oh—!" He snapped back into reality. "Sorry."

"What's wrong?" I asked. He still seemed troubled.

"Well… nothing…"

"Aw, come on," I scoffed. "Tell me."

"Malon…"

"_Link_…"

We stared each other down for a while. I was kind of irritated, actually. It was my birthday, I hadn't seen him in a while, and he was still letting his mind wander elsewhere. _Did I really not deserve some attention?_

"Please?" I asked, trying to be patient. "It's better than pretending that you're listening to me."

He sighed. "I don't…"

"I know!" I clapped my hands together. "Tell me stories."

He blinked. "…What?"

"I rarely see you," I said, dragging him to the barn so we could sit down. "Why don't you tell me some of your adventures? Or about the castle? Or—"

"You'd get bored," Link told me, looking incredulous.

"No way. I promise."

"Well…"

In the end, he agreed. You could say that I was somewhat excited, because, as I've said before, he rarely talked about himself.

"What should I tell you?"

"I want…" I racked my brain. "The story of the Hero of Time!"

He was startled. "Um…"

"You know, there are many stories going around," I said thoughtfully. "They're all about the legendary Hero who saved Hyrule, or who will save Hyrule. I guess that's now a _title_ Princess Zelda gives to people who have serviced the royal family. The Hero of Time…"

He got a weird expression then. _Was it relief? Or confusion? I didn't know._

"I thought maybe, since you hang around the castle a lot, you'd know the story," I said. "And you have the title, too. Did collecting those gems really save Hyrule?"

He was quiet for a while. And then he spoke. _This is what he said:_

* * *

I don't exactly know how collecting the three made me a hero. I just went and did what somebody back in the forest told me to do. This led me to the Princess, and before I knew it, I was on some kind of adventure. _Sort of._

The _real_ story of the Hero of Time…

It happened… sometime ago…

There was a boy. He was born different from those around him. So you could say everything that happened to him was destiny. He was… given a jewel. A shining, green stone. He was also given a task. Take it to the Princess.

That's what he did. He and the Princess formed a kind of bond… an _alliance_. And he went and got the other two jewels for her, the red and blue ones.

But it was too late. An evil… monster from the desert tried to take over Hyrule. The Princess barely managed to escape. She also somehow managed to give him the oca—

_The Ocarina… of Time_.

He used the magic of the ocarina, combined with the jewels, and he opened a sacred realm. Destiny had plans for him, and he was sealed into the realm for seven years.

He was awakened by a Sage. The Sage, the Sage of Light, instructed him on what to do. If he wanted to defeat the monster, he needed to be powerful. He needed to awaken all the Sages. He needed to prevent the evil monster from locating the Triforce.

There were five other Sages he needed to awaken. So he visited five separate temples to do so. He… did what he could to cleanse the evil from each area.

Aiding him along the way was a Sheikah. The Sheikah was invaluable in passing wisdom to him. With the Sheikah's help, he awakened all the Sages.

He hurried back to the realm. And there was the Sheikah.

The Sheikah revealed her true identity: the Princess.

He was…

Happy.

He was _happy_ to see her again, _safe_.

But the evil man caught them by surprise, and he captured the Princess.

He hadfound the Triforce.

What do you know about the Triforce?

There are three main forces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. The Wisdom was something that the Princess had. Courage was his piece. And Power belonged to the evil man.

So there was one final fight he had to win.

And he did.

He did it, with the help of the Sages. Even the Princess, who was the seventh Sage, helped. With their combined power… they defeated him.

He was not dead. The evil monster had a bit of the Triforce with him. Instead, he was sealed away.

The Hero saved Hyrule. Just like he should.

However…

The Princess asked if she could take the Ocarina back for a while. In not so many words, she told him that she needed to set things straight. She needed to turn back time.

It was wrong of her, she said, to selfishly ask him to save the world. It was wrong that she robbed him of seven years of his life. It was wrong that he suffered and sacrificed so much.

So, she sent him back.

_He was a boy again._

_And she was the Princess._

_That was all._

* * *

" 'That was all'?" I echoed. Link nodded. "But… what happened after that?"

"I just said it. That was all."

"No!" I said, shaking my head. "The Hero loved the princess, right? And she must have loved him, too."

He stared. "How—what do you—?"

I don't know what came over me then. Looking back, I realize that the story didn't quite mention much on the relationship. But I felt so sure. I _was_ so sure. _I am so sure._

"He was born different," I said as I stood up. He watched me pace back and forth. "He wouldn't have gone through all of that to save a land he didn't feel he was part of. Not unless there were some people he fought for. Or, maybe, _one particular person_."

"Malon."

"Am I right?" I asked him. "Did he love the Princess?"

"…Very much."

"Did _she_ love _him_?"

"I don't know."

I took a deep breath.

"_You_ were the Hero."

"Yes." He didn't bother hiding it any longer.

"It makes _sense_," I said slowly. "You coming for Epona, you leaving, you at the castle…" A thought struck me. "Nobody knows what you did for Hyrule!"

He smiled bitterly.

"Well, the Princess does. And the Sages. But…" My eyes were wide. "Even I couldn't possibly know how hard you fought…"

"I should go," he said, standing up. "It's late."

"One last question," I begged. He faced me, with his blue eyes looking kind of pained. His stony expression couldn't hide it. "Is…is that really _all_?"

"…No. There's a lot _more_ to it."

"Like what else?"

"You look very beautiful in that dress, Malon. Happy Birthday."

* * *

**_NOTES (which you don't have to read, but whichI suggest you read if you have questions):_**

Er, OK. That was a weird one…

**What's with the weird transition in the part where Link tells a story?**

Now, in the part where Link tells the story, I had to make the narrative in his point. It was too confusing to put in all of Malon's questions and interruptions. I can only hope that you actually read it…

**Why does he sound so weird as he's telling the story…?**

This one is my bad. I've never watched the cartoon or anything, so I don't have the lowdown on his character, or the time period speech. However, the impression I got from playing the game was a serious guy, like Squall from Final Fantasy VIII or Batman from… Batman.

If I'm wrong, go ahead and tell me, but I doubt that you can change my mind. If you do, it still won't affect the story, it's that easy for me to think of him like that. Heh.

**I don't think Link would just go and spill his guts to Malon, do you?**

Now, some people might think that it's a long stretch for Link to tell the story, however reluctantly, to Malon. But look at it this way: in the first place, he was trying to tell her the story _as if it didn't happen to him_, as if it was a legend or something. But when you tell a story like that, it's hard to control your emotions. Malon sensed the connection, and her mind filled in the blanks pretty efficiently.

Also, he did know her for years already. He's got to trust her on some level…; p

**What's with the boys following Malon around…?**

Well, just in case I didn't make it clear.

I like to think of Malon as a pretty girl in her own way. So it wouldn't be surprising if she maintains some popularity with the males. If this is too much for you, then consider how she is the only daughter of a man who owns a ranch. It's a very good ranch, so naturally many would want it. And the easiest way would be to marry Malon.

**That's it for now. _Cookies to those who reviewed the first chapter!_ Thanks, guys! You're sweet. Mwah.**

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**EDIT: **I don't know what happened, but somehow the first and second chapter switched places. It seems I am wonky. Apologies to those who were subjected to confusion...


	3. The Gate

_I barely slept that night. In the end, I did close my eyes for a bit, but that only disoriented me even more when I woke up._

_Was it a dream?_

_No, I remembered it too clearly._

The story made so much sense…

I winced as I thought about how Link looked so saddened by the story. Not just saddened… kind of angry. It was frightening.

He didn't come for weeks after that. I could understand why. Nobody else probably knew about the story.

I pitied him. He had never been appreciated for what he did for Hyrule, had he?

"Yer quiet today," Dad said gruffly. "Not my fault, is it?"

"No, Dad. See you later, Dad."

_I went about my work for those few weeks, distracting myself. But all the while, at the back of my mind, I prepared myself._

He didn't come though, and I was gloomy.

"Malon," Dad said. "Yeh need to get out of the ranch. Why don't yeh come with me to deliver the milk to the market?"

"Uh, dad. We were there two days ago."

"Er, right. But it'll do you good to come out, won't it?"

"Uhm… I suppose…"

Well, at least the noise could distract me, I hoped.

Hyrule Town Market really is a noisy place. But I was wrong in thinking that it could completely distract me.

I moved around with my head down, deep in thought. Vendors called out to me, but I didn't hear them. At the corner of my eye, I glanced at the castle every now and then.

"Excuse me, Miss!" squeaked a little kid. I heard her a bit too late, and I accidentally kicked her toy ball away.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I snapped back into reality, because she looked like she was going to cry. "I'll go get it back for you. Wait right here."

I ran lightly toward where the ball rolled. I was keeping my eye on it, so I didn't notice that my surroundings changed. It got pretty quiet.

Finally, I picked up the ball and looked up. I was in some kind of alley. I turned to go when somebody caught my arm.

"Drink… wit me…"

"Drink wid us, too…"

"Wah… what a pretty gurl…"

I was frozen in fear. Three drunks. That was three grown men against one girl with a ball in her hands.

"Let me go!"

"Wo…wow…wowow…" one of them hiccupped as I shoved him back. "She has a temperrr…"

"It's 'cause of her hair… right? Right?"

"You speakish wrong… I like her hair…"

One of them lunged for me again. I kicked back. Finally I cried out in pain.

I couldn't see very well, but in a few moments their grips loosened.

"_Leave her alone_."

It was Link. And he had his sword drawn. My eyes widened.

"H-hey… it was just f-for fun…"

"Yeah… fer fun…"

"I know 'im! He's da time boy…"

"Da what? I can' hear er speakish…"

"Time-boy! Time-hero! Somethin' the princess said."

"Ah…gh… Princess speakish like he's a hero…"

"The Hero of Time--!"

Link had taken my hand, and led me out of there. I was shaking.

"Here…" I said to the little girl. She looked at me with concern, but she thanked me and ran away.

"So that's what you were doing," he said, quietly.

"Yeah. I kicked it by accident."

"Don't go back there again."

"I know. And… thank you."

"…Malon."

"Uhm… about the story…"

He looked away. "Let's go for a walk."

We went out of the market, towards the castle. I hesitated, but I guess I really did want to talk to him.

"Do you regret telling me?"

It was the question that plagued me for a while.

"Well… kind of," he said thoughtfully. "But I can trust you, can't I? So don't worry about it."

"Of course," I said with a small smile. "I'm sorry I made you tell me, though. It was none of my business."

"Well… it can't be helped."

"I won't ask you to tell me any more."

"…Do you _want _to know?"

"Huh?"

"I'm just asking. Do you want to know the rest?"

I looked at him uncertainly. "In total honesty, yes. But don't if you don't want to."

He nodded slowly. "All right…"

I suddenly realized that he hadn't let go of my hand yet. I gently pulled away.

"I'm fine, now," I said.

"Sorry," Link mumbled.

"No, don't apologize."

I found it sort of funny how he could apologize to _me_.

"Well. Take care, Malon," he said. I turned back to go to the market.

"Come visit anytime, 'kay?" I waved with a cheery smile.

"Aah… Sure…"

I went home with a lighter heart.

Even Dad noticed the mood I was in, and he took pride in the fact that he was the one who suggested the outing.

I don't know what came over me, but I guess I was just happy to learn that Link and I were on good terms again.

He continued his visits, too, though he didn't mention anything about the story for a while. I didn't pester him, although I paid more attention to rumors that went around. I couldn't help it; Link and the Princess were popular subjects.

"Did you hear? The Hero of Time…"

"Oh, he's so _cute_, don't you think…?"

"I heard he's taken…!"

"…the princess…"

"…_saved Hyrule_, my eye…"

"—I bet she just—"

"—yeah, I know, can you imagine—"

"—she doesn't deserve—"

"—_he_ doesn't deserve—"

"—_never _getting married—"

I froze.

"What? Are you sure?"

"That's what my husband heard, and he's one of the inside guards, you know?"

"So the Princess never plans to marry? She'll rule as Queen on her _own_?"

"Shhh! Not so loud. Do you think it has something to do with _him_?"

I didn't want to hear any more. I went home biting my lip.

"You're quiet," Link noted, at his next visit. He didn't look like he didn't know why, either.

"How…" I stopped, cleared my throat, and tried again. "How is the Princess?"

"I haven't seen her."

"No?"

"_No_. I don't see her so often, actually. It's part of our agreement."

"Agreement?"

Link stopped what he was doing. He sighed, and faced me. "Well…"

I held up my hand. "You don't have to tell me."

"But you would listen if I did?"

"Yes." My answer was firm. I didn't want him to think that our friendship was a mistake.

"Then I'll tell you." He laughed softly, bitterly, and he got a look on his face that I had never seen before.

"Link…?"

"Have you ever loved anyone so much that it hurt?"

I was thrown. Had I?

Oh, the irony. Maybe I couldn't claim that my infatuation for him burned with the intensity of Din's fire, but I could certainly say that I loved him enough to get hurt.

"Kind of."

"_No_, you haven't. If you did, you would be very, _very_ sure that you did."

"…Is this what happened between--?"

"It gets worse. It's _much _worse, actually, because I'm aware of the fact that she feels the same for me."

"Wha--?"

He was talking a bit fast now, as if he wasn't really talking to me.

"I loved her. I still do. Maybe she doesn't love me now, but she sure did before. And guess what? I couldn't lay a finger on her."

"Link! Link, _Link_. Slow down…"

"Do you know," he said a little hoarsely. "that her body was used as the gate?"

I said nothing. He didn't seem to hear me.

"Years ago I defeated Ganon. It was over. Zelda sent me to the past, because she said I shouldn't have had to sacrifice so much. And then I grow up, and I see her again. No evil threats, no nothing, so Hyrule is at peace. There was nothing that would have stopped our happiness. But we both didn't count for how we were supposed to keep Ganon sealed!"

He stopped for breath. I trembled as he dropped to his knees.

"They used her body, mind, soul. Spirit. Heart. They used _her_. _She's_ the only way Ganon could escape the realm. It's her purity that keeps him sealed there."

It dawned on me. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

"So as much as I loved her, I couldn't touch her. As much as I loved her, it wasn't right for her to have me around. As much as I still love her, _I can't go near her_."

Link stopped then. The silence that followed wrenched an intense dose of pity out of me. Did he want pity? Sometimes pity was insulting.

But he looked at me, with an expression of anger, sadness, and complete despair. Pity won over, and I knelt down.

I wrapped my arms around him, and he didn't protest.

* * *

I'm **so sorry** I took so long! I'll try not to let it happen again…

As a type of apology, I'll reply to reviewers.

**Berreta Pakin Mailman:** Thank you for being the first to review! And thanks for putting this under your favorites.

**Sapphira603:** Well, I don't hate the idea of Zelda x Link, but sometimes I really prefer this pairing. I think many people like writing Zelda x Link because Malon is only from Ocarina of Time, whereas Zelda has been there for a while now. I mean… it's the name of the game. LOL.

**Lizai:** Here ya go. ;) And more coming, too.

**Greki:** Thanks!

**Devila:** Thanks for reviewing. Hope this answered your question.

**Loki:** Gosh, I'm sorry for blundering… Thanks a bunch for letting me know!

**The Hylian:** Thanks so much, I always appreciate suggestions. And yes, everybody's gotta have a little romance at some point. Thanks for the review. I'll try to swing by your stories, but don't count on it. I'm not very reliable.

**IchigoTheStray:** Come again? Something happened to your review, all I can see is "Yay! I—"

**Lvmj:** Oh, no no no. Don't feel stupid, I welcome reviews almost as much as I welcome candy. Thanks!

**Gabrey:** Thanks, I'll try my best.

**Sirael Lythling:** Sorry for the wait. And thank you! It's nice to know I'm not making a complete bother of things.

**More questions and answers. Mwah.**

**Eh? I don't get it! What's going on?**

Um… well, actually, you're not the first. Over the years, people have come to me saying that they just don't "get" my writing. It's an oddstyle, I suppose. No, I'm not changing the way I write… it's not very fair to me, because I have fun writing this way. Sorry.

**I don't think it's because of your writing. Why are you so unclear?**

My bad, then. But really, I think you just need to read things more carefully.

**So… Zelda's a gate? What?**

Well. This is something that rolled around my head for a while now. There had to be some catch for being able to seal off somebody as powerful as Ganon. He does hold the Triforce of Power, after all. So I put in that Zelda, as the seventh sage, still had a little duty: stay pure.

Of course the little problem of her love for Link would add some drama to the picture. Trust me to screw things up, I am such a dork.

_That's all for now._


	4. Day

_I was in my room, later that night, and I traced the beaded necklace with my fingers gently._

Although it seemed to border on insulting to pity someone as much as I did, I couldn't deny it. I felt so sorry for him. I wanted to make him forget his pain, I wanted him to smile at me, and I wanted him to tell me that I was his friend.

It sounded selfish, but I thought of him as a very dear friend of mine. _Does he think the same_, I wondered. _Will he ever acknowledge that he isn't alone, and that I'm here for him?_

I certainly hoped so.

_Imaynot be childishly in love with him like I was before_, I thought to myself. _But I'm not going to stand by and watch him live in complete and utter solitude._

And that is what I did. I asked Dad if he could stay overnight at the ranch, because I absolutely refused to let him ride back to the castle in his current state. Dad said sure, as long as he didn't mind staying sleeping on hay at the corner of a barn. We didn't have a guest bedroom, you see.

Link was beyond caring.

"Look, I'm really sorry we don't have a room—" I began, but he looked at me patiently.

"One night in hay won't matter. The fact that you're putting up with me is comfort enough."

I had a sneaking suspicion that he was used to much worse. All that traveling…

As he sat down on the hay, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. But not before he gave me an apologetic smile. It was very small and sad, but it was there.

Silently, I gazed at him intently for a minute, and then I went and fetched a blanket. I draped it around him. I figured he wanted to be alone, so I tiptoed out.

"Goodnight," I said softly. "You know you're always welcome here, right?"

I don't know why I said that.

And there I was, in my own room, fingering the beads.

After a long time, I finally blew out the flame of the lamp. I lay down, clutching my own blanket around me tightly. With Link on my mind and in my heart, I went to sleep.

The next day, I was up much earlier than usual. I washed and changed quickly.

My first action was to check on Link. He was still there, asleep. I was relieved that he didn't pull another one of his disappearing acts.

I finished most of my chores early, but when I checked on him again he was awake.

"Good morning," I said warmly. "Would you like breakfast?"

"No." He got up, putting on his boots and gauntlets. "Um—no, thank you."

"But then, you'll be hungry! We can't have you falling off Epona through the obstacle course!"

"Obstacle course?"

"I set a new record the other day," I told him. "With all the riding you do, you're probably the only one who could challenge it."

"What—_Malon_?"

"I'll see you at the track start!" I said cheerily, and I ran out before he could protest.

My theory was that if I could distract him for a bit, then maybe he wouldn't be so despairingly sad. It was a long shot, because one can't simply stop thinking of a predicament such as his. But it was better than seeing him off with that look of utter anguish on his face, or his usual melancholy expressionless ness.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Actually, I need to adjust the stirrups a bit—"

"GO!"

Bewildered, he did. Well, he and Epona did. They shot off, and they ran through the course with perfect rhythm.

_Din, he's good,_ I thought.

"Goddesses!" I exclaimed. "You knocked three seconds of my record. I knew you were good, but not this good."

He looked at me intently for a while. "Rematch?"

After several matches, I finally admitted that he beat me.

"You win this time. But next time…"

He looked at me. "Next time what?"

"Well, I _hope_ there is a next time. You don't plan to disappear for months on end sometime soon, do you?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

The way he said it made me feel a bit gloomy. He sounded kind of sad when he said it.

"Do you _want_ to leave, then?"

"Honestly? Yes. But I suppose I'm needed here, too."

"You're too nice."

He was taken aback. "Me?"

"Well, I don't think you've ever done anything completely for yourself…"

"That's not true. I did go to Termina to find Navi. _That _was personal."

"Termina? Oh, right. Well, I bet you helped a lot of people there, too.

He was silent. I laughed.

"See, I was right!"

Link sighed, but it was in mock exasperation. "Must you always be right?"

"Uh-huh."

We both laughed at that one.

There was silence, but I didn't let it linger too long, in case he started over-thinking again.

"What are the Goron like?" I asked.

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

"I've never met them," I said, shrugging. _Actually, I was genuinely curious._

"They're an interesting tribe," Link said thoughtfully. "I mean, they're good at heart. A bit rough though, with all their rolling around. Plus they have their 'Goron Special Crop'…"

I giggled as he told me about them. He also mentioned his "Goron brother" Darunia.

"He would have liked you," he said, glancing at me. I smiled, but I noticed he was thinking again about something that saddened him.

"What about Zora? Have you met them?"

"Yeah, I have."

"Oooh! What are they like? They're even harder to find than Gorons."

"Not if you go to lake Hylia," he said, surprised. I shook my head.

"I've never seen Lake Hylia," I said.

"It's a beautiful lake," Link said, nodding his head. "You should see it."

"You could take me one day," I suggested. "So what are the Zora like?"

"Graceful," he said right away. "I mean, you should see them swim and dive."

I gulped. "I can't swim, either."

"What? Oh, right."

"So, _you_ can swim?"

"Not very well, but I can survive in water, yeah."

I glanced at the sun. Well, no, let me rephrase that, because you can't glance at the sun. I glanced indirectly at the sun.

"I need to go make lunch," I said. "After all, we have a guest."

He opened his mouth.

"_Don't _say it. You're staying for lunch whether you like it or not."

Link looked somewhat amused.

Lunch was a happy event. Dad had always gotten along fairly well with Link. Link kept giving Ingo a dirty look though. It was hilarious, because while Ingo is as grumpy as they come he's never done any real harm.

Link then accompanied me through the rest of my chores. He was very good company, though I saw him giving the Cuckoos some funny looks.

Sad as it was, the sun set too soon. Link faced me with a sudden deadpan expression.

"I should go."

_I didn't want him to go._

"Come back anytime, okay?" I said to him, smiling.

He took my hand. I looked at him in surprise, and he stared back with sad but clear eyes.

"You're a good person, Malon."

Before anything else happened, he mounted Epona and rode off. I watched him go.

* * *

"Malon, we need tuh talk," Dad said, running his hand through his… head.

"Dad…"

"Is _he_ why yeh won't even look at anyone else?"

"Wh-what? N—"

"Malon… yeh do get it right? Caring fer him means yeh may get yer heart broken. Badly."

"Dad…"

"I ain't gonna be able to pound him either. He's pretty handy with that ole sword."

I smiled at his half joke. "Is that all, Dad? I gave up a long time ago, though…"

"Malon…"

"Hey, Dad," I asked suddenly. "How'd you meet Mom?"

He was startled. "Yer mother?"

"You never did tell me how you met, or why you ended up together."

"Well…" he got a dreamy look on his face. "She was the most beautiful lady… ever. I don' know how it happened. One day as kids she left town with her family. Years later she comes back an' nobody can take his eyes off 'er."

"Where'd she go, Dad?"

"Oh, her family got into traveling business. Trade, I guess. Yer mother hated it—said she didn't like not havin' a proper home. But she never complained to her family. A real beautiful lady she was, inside out." He paused, and I noticed his eyes watering up. "Dunno _why_ she picked _me_."

Here I decided not to let him finish, curious as I was. I knew my Dad might start bawling and I wouldn't understand him anyway.

But I think I know why Mom chose Dad. Dad comes off as lazy, irresponsible, sometimes dense. I remember more than once how he lured boys in with the promise of prizes if they won his Cuccoo games just to find that they don't, in fact, want to marry me. We were only twelve, after all.

Yet all in all, he's a sweet person, kind-hearted and good. It's magnified by the fact that he sometimes doesn't see it himself.

_Kind of like Link._

I began to think of him and his situation over and over. He still loved the princess, I could tell. But if he got near her, then he risked tainting her and releasing evil unto Hyrule again.

Were the goddesses really that cruel? I wondered. After all the sacrifices Link made, he had to make the biggest one of all. Even Zelda was suffering. I hated to be sympathetic to someone who had the attention of the world, but I almost pitied her. All of Hyrule would be on her case for not marrying. They'd think it was some kind of dictatorship.

_It is none of my business._

Those words played over and over again in my head.

_It is none of my business._

I cared for Link. That much I knew for sure.

_It is none of your business._

_But even then, I'm going to have a talk with Zelda._

* * *

**WAAAHHH!**

OK, I have no excuses this time. Don't kill me. I promise to not go in hiatus, though. I mean, I may take a millennia to update, but it'll get finished, 'kay?

So what finally got me to cough up this chapter?

I was working on an orig story manuscript (due in three days! AUGH!), and I was having a seriously bad writer's block. Normally what I do to appease it is listen to music and pace (a lot). But then I checked my mail. _Whoa._ My reviews suddenly jumped.

So I decided, why not tackle the block by writing some good ol' fan-fiction? And I think it worked.

Oh yeah…. I'll spare you the questions and answers this time, just so I can go post up the chapter.

However, a BIG **thank you** to the reviewers. Hope you can bear with me! Hugs all around.

_Love ;-)_


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